When it comes to garden plants that hail from Southern Europe, “winter hardiness” usually isn’t their strong suit. Most of the time, even perennials from that region have to be replanted every single year because they just can’t handle the frost. But here’s some good news: Wallflowers (Erysimum cheiri) are a bit different! While they can stick around for next season, they do need a little extra TLC to make it through the cold months.
Conditionally Winter Hardy
You can think of the Wallflower as being conditionally winter hardy. If you just leave it sitting in your garden bed without any help, it probably won’t survive until spring unless you happen to have an unusually mild winter. To ensure your Wallflowers bounce back next year, providing some solid winter protection is a must.
The Right Way to Prep for Winter
To keep your Wallflowers happy and healthy until spring, here are a few steps you should take:
- Give the plants a good, hard prune in the fall.
- Cover the remaining stems and the root area with a generous layer of brushwood or evergreen boughs.
- If your garden beds are in a windy or exposed spot, add an extra layer of mulch using fallen leaves or mature compost.
- Skip the fertilizer during the winter—the plants are resting!
- Do keep an eye on the moisture, though. If you hit a long dry spell and the ground isn’t frozen, give them a little water.
Moving Wallflowers Indoors
Another great option is to dig up your Wallflowers and move them into pots for the season. This way, you can bring them into a “winter home” like a garage or shed. The ideal spot should be cool but frost-free. It’s also super important that they still get enough natural light, so make sure the room has a decent window. This is especially vital if you’ve been growing your Wallflowers in containers all year. If you leave pots outside in freezing temperatures, the soil freezes all the way through very quickly, which will unfortunately kill off the root system.
